Combined with the shared-use sign this is just confusing?!
Based on my drunken rantings of a day or two ago, I'm planning to record sections of my ride to work, where one day I follow the cycle route exactly as indicated (part of NCN 23 nearly all the way). I'll then record the same route I normally take, which is completely legal, but ignores many of the 'facilities' in favour of some cyclecraft-style road use. Then I'll see if I can run them in parallel to compare and contrast, not necessarily for speed but for safety.
My point is that many of the paths in Basingstoke, like many other places, are put there not to aid the cyclist but to keep us from causing any inconvenience to motorists at the expense of our rate of progress and, in some cases, our safety.
Ranty rant.